Bashō Kinenkan

Entrance to the memorial

The Bashō Kinenkan ( Japanese. Complete: 江東 区 芭蕉 記念 ​​館 , Kōtō-ku Bashō Kinenkan , dt. "Bashō Memorial Kōtō-ku") is a literary museum in the Tokiwa district of the Kōtō district , Tokyo, in honor of the famous Japanese poet Matsuo Basho . The memorial has two goals: On the one hand, it collects materials from and about Matsuo Bashō and exhibits them on two floors. On the other hand, it promotes haiku poetry and supports local cultural activities. The memorial opened on April 19, 1981 at the site where Bashō had lived since 1680. On April 6, 1995, a smaller outbuilding was inaugurated directly on the Sumida River within sight of the Shin-Ōhashi Bridge.

Overview

The simple two-story building is located on the Sumida River in the old district of Fukagawa. Behind the building is a small memorial park with a pond and a bronze statue of the seated Bashō. This pond, which was flooded by a typhoon in September 1917, has been restored unchanged and has been referred to as the "site of the old pond of the time-honored Bashō" ( 芭蕉 翁 古 池 の 跡 , Bashō-ō furuike no ato ) since 1921 .

On the ground floor, to the right of the entrance, there is a small office where you can get tickets and information materials. On the left there is a 117 m² conference room for events. In contrast to the equally large training room on the first floor, the conference room is equipped with tables and chairs. It has the flair of a European classroom. The training room on the floor above, on the other hand, is designed as a Washitsu , a Japanese room with tokonoma . On the right side of the first floor is one of two exhibition rooms. Here you can find information about the trips that Bashō took, a variety of Kakemono Japanese artists from the early Middle Ages to the Edo period , who mainly show Bashō. In addition, a (walking) stick, as used by Bashō when he left the house, and a simple ball with a small opening are on display. The ball is a kind of whistle that makes the sound of a water rail ( 水 鶏 笛 , Kuinabue ). In the middle of the room there are books on display that also show pictures of Bashō.

The second floor has a small library, storage rooms and a small exhibition room in the middle of the floor. There you will find maps and a set of the typical clothing of the time of Bashō, including a Yatate .

Web links

• Kōtō-ku Bunka Community Zaidan (the foundation that has run the museum since 1985): 芭蕉 記念 ​​館 (Japanese, English , Chinese )
• 松尾 芭蕉 関 連 の 資料 館 ・ 記念 館 . 江東 区 芭蕉 記念 ​​館 所 蔵, 2009,accessed on October 14, 2012(Japanese, online database of the memorial with detailed life data, images of exhibits, a text version ofOku no Hosomichietc.). 
• Bashō Kinenkan (Japanese) with illustrations

Exhibits examples

• 一 蝶 筆 芭蕉 と 柳 図 . 江東 区 芭蕉 記念 ​​館 所 蔵, 2006,accessed October 14, 2012(Image of a Bashō portrait ofHanabusa Itchōon display at the Bashō Memorial (江東 区 芭蕉 記念 ​​館 展示 資料 目録, Reference number 6).). 
• 蕪 村 筆 芭蕉 坐像 図 . 江東 区 芭蕉 記念 ​​館 所 蔵, 2006,accessed October 14, 2012(Image of a Bashō portrait byYosa Busonon display at the Bashō Memorial (江東 区 芭蕉 記念 ​​館 展示 資料 目録, reference number 10).). 
• 白 鴎 画 ・ 渓 斎 賛 「こ よ ひ 誰」 句 芭蕉 坐像 図 . 江東 区 芭蕉 記念 ​​館 所 蔵, 2006,accessed October 14, 2012(Illustration of a Bashō portrait byKamimura Hakuō, inscribed byKeisai Eisenin the Bashō Memorial can be seen (江東 区 芭蕉 記念 ​​館 展示 資料 目録, reference number 17).). 

Remarks

1. ↑ The name is an allusion to Bashō's famous haiku of the frog jumping into an old pond.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ 芭蕉 記念 ​​館 と は . Firstbrain, 2012, accessed October 14, 2012 (Japanese). 
2. ↑ 江東 区 芭蕉 記念 ​​館 展示 資料 目録 , reference number 1
3. ↑ 江東 区 芭蕉 記念 ​​館 展示 資料 目録 , reference number 7

Coordinates: 35 ° 41 ′ 3.9 "  N , 139 ° 47 ′ 46.5"  E